The Panchakshara Mantra

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" Wear rudraksha beads, repeat the Panchakshara, let your heart grow

soft and melt. Chant the letters five, and in love you will discover

Siva's will.

Chant so that impurities, anxieties and doubts are destroyed. "

 

Om Namah Shivaya

 

This mantra is said to be the heart of all the Vedas and Tantras.

Namah Shivaya is found, quite literally,in the middle of the Vedas,

in the Rudram.

In the Agamas its meaning is elaborated upon. Natchintanai says that,

 

" Namah Shivaya is in truth both Agama and Veda. Namah Shivaya

represents all mantras and Tantras. Namah Shivaya is our souls, our

bodies and possessions.

Namah Shivaya has becomeour sure protection. "

 

It is difficult to give a clear meaning to the mantra. The easy

exposition of it would be " Om, I bow to Shiva " .But this

interpretation does not do it justice. Shiva means Auspicious, so it

could be said that the mantra means bowing to the Auspiciousness.

Shiva however should be understood in the fuller context, and not in

the overly simplistic picture that is typically given in books and

websites as a god of destruction.

 

In Shaivism and other Hindu systems, Shiva is the formless

transcendental Being (often called Paramashiva),the Divine source.

This is the source that rests in each and everyone. It is not a god

seperate from yourself,

 

it is the core being of your self. Nothing external or seperate from

you, rather it is your heart of hearts. More important than the

literal translated meaning of this mantra is it's sound, it's

vibration. Just as with all mantras the sound of it is more important

than its literal meaning.

This mantra is also known five syllabled mantra, for it consists of

five syllables, Na - Ma - Shi - Va - Ya. The start of the mantra, Om,

does constitute as a syllable because it is the Mahabija, the great

seed from which all other mantras and sounds arose. The syllables

within the mantra are said to have a range of meanings and attributes.

 

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami writes that

 

'Na is the Lord's concealing grace, Ma is the world, Shi stands for

Siva, Va is His revealing grace, Ya is the soul.'

 

He continues,

 

''The five elements, too, are embodied in this ancient formula for

invocation. Na is earth, Ma is water, Shi is fire, Va is air, and Ya

is ether, or akasha. Many are its meanings.'

 

Paramahamsa Muktananda also eloquently explains this point and tells

of how it benefits ones mind and spiritual path, he speaks of the

nadi's, the channels of pranas and the purity of mind. Repeating this

mantra rids the mind of tamas and rajas, making it suitable for lofty

spiritual experience.

Muktanandaji says

 

" Underlying this mantra is a great secret. As we chant the five

syllables Namah Shivaya, the five elements that comprise the body are

purified. Each of the syllables corresponds to one of these

elements: the syllable na to the earth element, the syllable ma to

the water element, the syllable shi to the fire element, the

syllable va to the air element, and the syllable ya to the ether

element. Each syllable purifies its corresponding element. As long as

the body and the mind are not completely pure, we cannot fuly benefit

from our spiritual practice. Therefore, we repeat Om Namah Shivaya

to help cleanse them. "

 

In Yoga Magazine, Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati expounds somewhat on

the vibrational quality of the mantra and its relationship with the

main chakras, he says

 

" When we repeat the mantra Om Namah Shivaya, for example, we are not

becoming a Shaivite, we are not adoring or worshipping a deity, but

we are stimulating the force of these different chakras. Om is the

sound of ajna chakra which is responsible for clarity, for

creativity, for the intuitive faculty of mind. Ya or Yam is the

mantra of anahata, Va or Vam is the mantra of swadhisthana. Similarly

Na, Ma, Sha are different sounds or syllables corresponding to the

different chakras. "

 

Subramuniyaswami again offers some elucidation on the mantra's

relationship with the chakras, and other matters such as prana and

the astral. The sage says that

 

" When " Aum Namah Sivaya " is repeated, we go through the chakras, Na

Ma Si Va Ya Aum. The Aum is in the head chakra. Within Namah Sivaya

is each of the elements--earth, water, fire,air and ether--which in

the mind are transmuted into all-pervasive consciousness, and that is

also transmuted into the great chakra way above the head at the end

of the Aum. In just the breath, the space of time between the next

repetition of " Aum Namah Sivaya Aum Namah Sivaya Aum Namah Sivaya, "

the pranas, having reached Parashiva, fall back into the spiritual,

mental, astral and physical worlds, blessing them all with new

energy, new life and new understanding. " Namah Sivaya Aum, Namah

Sivaya Aum, Namah Sivaya Aum, Namah Sivaya Aum " is the constant

process of life. It is the essence of life itself. "

 

It is really only in the repeating of this mantra, whether aloud or

mentally, that a true taste of what it is can be had.

 

How to Repeat the Panchakshara Mantra

 

Paramahamsa Muktananda suggests that we should ideally repeat the

mantra silently (Manasika - mental repetition) and at the same speed

at which you talk. It is also possible to coordinate it with your

breath, repeating once when you inhale and then once when you exhale.

Muktananda says that if you do it in this fashion the mantra will

saturate your mind, circulate round your body and permeate your

blood cells with its vibration. He even suggests that the walls of

the room in which you daily sit to repeat it will become infused with

it. On this matter he tells of his own account, he says

 

In my ashram in India there used to be a special room where I lived

for a long time and where I meditated and repeated the mantra .

Eventually I moved into other quarters, and the room was kept

locked. Several years ago, a government official came to the ashram.

He told me, " I have heard many people say that if anyone stays in

your ashram, he can get into meditation very easily. " I took him to

the room, showed him inside, and told him to sit for

meditation. " What mantra should I repeat? " he asked. " If you hear a

mantra in this room, repeat that, " I told him. When he came out, he

said, " I heard Om Namah Shivaya coming from the walls! The entire

room was repeating it! " Mantra is a living force. If you repeat it

one-pointedly for a long time, it will permeate your whole

environment.

 

Since truly ancient times many of India's greatest sages and

illuminated ones (both men and women) have praised this mantra and

the practice of japa in general. A further insight as to why this

mantra is so special is given by Swami Subramuniyaswami, who says

that it

 

" is such a precious mantra because it is the closest sound that one

can make to emulate the sounds rushing out of the Self into the

mind. Chanting it is profound because it is a sound channel which you

can follow to get close to the Self of your self [i.e. Shiva, your

own Divine Essence or Higher Self] "

 

The sage Upamanyu explained its secret in that it nullifies the need

for special rituals, particular times or external needs, the sage

said:

 

" If this mantra vibrates continually in your heart, then you have no

need to perform austerities, to meditate, or to practice yoga. To

repeat this mantra you need no rituals or ceremonies, nor must you

repeat it at an auspicious time or in a particular place. "

 

Also put forth is the fact that this mantra is open to all.

Paramahamsa Muktananda tells that this mantra is not bound by rules

and regulations, he expounds,

 

" This mantra is free of all restrictions. It can be repeated by

anyone, young or old, rich or poor, and no matter what state a

person is in, it will purify him. The sages said, " This mantra is

mysterious. Repeat it, repeat it, repeat it. "

 

This mantra is said to be the mantra that will take those who

earnestly practice it across the ocean of samsara, to the shores of

realization. The great woman saint of Kashmir, Lalla or Lal Ded,

chanted this mantra and wrote of it

 

With right knowledge, open your ears and hear how the trees sway to

Om Namah Shivaya, how the wind says Om Namah Shivaya as it blows, how

water flows with the sound Namah Shivaya. The entire universe is

singing the name of Shiva. Pay a little attention!

 

If given the chance the mantra will offer so much in return for the

effort given to it. In modern life finding the time for such

practices can be difficult. But if time can be found for activities

such as tv, socializing, etc.then if we are sincere we can find 10

minutes on most days to do japa and repeat the mantra. Once given the

opportunity to let it's worth shine through in experience, the

practitioner sees that the benefits derived, such as stress, anxiety

and negativity disappearing while peace and serenity increase, are

worth more than gold. Siva Yogaswami encouraging those who are

receptive said inspiringly:

 

" Wear rudraksha beads, repeat the Panchakshara, let your heart grow

soft and melt. Chant the letters five, and in love you will discover

Siva's will.

Chant so that impurities, anxieties and doubts are destroyed. "

 

Best Regards

Sreejith